What are effective methods for designing and implementing community-based interventions?

I like the suggested advice here. I would add that local progress is best won and most sustainable when local allies agree with the solution and have a stake in the win. National groups with their resources, experience, and connections can often play key roles, but they can't be everywhere -- and without strong local leadership that becomes a problem in adapting national models to the needs of a community and sustaining wins. So it is critically valuable to pay great attention to the "how" along with the "what."

Algunas consideraciones... 1/ hoy se habla mejor de intervenciones ORIENTADAS por la comunidad ya que las convierte en protagonistas de la solución. 2. La identificación del problema proviene de la propia comunidad y existen métodos técnicas y herramientas para hacerlo, como son los diagnósticos rápidos participativo, método altadir de participación popular MAPP y otros.... La escogencia, depende del nivel de madurez que tenga la comunidad para afrontar sus problemas (cohesión, liderazgo, incidencia política), la capacidad de definir partes interesadas, la naturaleza del problema... En researchgate encuentras mi libro metodos, técnicas y herramientas de participación y un documento de diagnósticos rápidos participativos. Son gratuitos

I don’t really agree with this approach. It is immensely disrespectful and arrogant for a a practitioner to ‘choose a problem and a community’. Communities should not be treated as Guinea pigs by practitioners wanting to test ideas or methods. Truly impactful community based interventions start from the community, with them determining their needs - perhaps aided by specialized practitioners - and choosing the intervention that better fits its needs and characteristics. Practitioners can also help them in this process, as well as with the participatory learning and impact assessments.

Getting to know your community involves talking to members and using various methods like surveys, and conversations. In my experience, I've found these tactics most helpful: - Hosting Community Workshops: Hold open workshops for meaningful conversations and trust-building. - Creating Online Spaces: Create accessible digital spaces for input and information sharing. - Directly Send Surveys: Add a personal touch while reaching out to members by going DM-to-DM (instead of door-to-door) by tailoring your messages. Combine these tactics to understand your community's needs and strengths for better, informed interventions.

‘Consulting’ with the community about how you want to conduct an intervention that is supposed to be ‘community based’ is just doing the minimum to engage them. When communities participate in the decision making from beginning to end, community engagement is more genuine, and the outcomes become more sustainable.

More modern and respectful approaches include working hand-in-hand with the community, not just reporting ‘to’ them. Old methods (e.g., participatory action research) paired with new communication and computer technology can be used to involve communities as agents of their own betterment, instead of recipients of an intervention designed and implemented by outsiders. The key to achieving long term goals is to help communities gain agency to address root causes and manage their own growth.

Community participation is crucial in health initiatives. The ladder of participation guides from informing to collaboration. In addressing healthcare gaps, involving communities is vital. Government schemes for maternal and child health may not reach remote areas. Utilizing community visits, school interactions, and household visits can bridge these gaps. Linking health facilities to communities and constant monitoring ensure effective implementation. In conclusion, community engagement enhances health program impact, creating a responsive healthcare system

Before the dissemination of the results, lessons and challenges, it is important to let the community participants know the study findings/results and to inform them of the intention to disseminate the results including other uses of the results such as to inform policy and programing. This step is critical to avoid any conflicts between the communities and those studying or conducting various interventions.

En mi experiencia en el sector salud en Colombia, lo más útil es abrir diferentes espacios, herramientas, niveles de comunicación permanente con la comunidad. Fomentar la creación de comités comunitarios es funcional, pero con el tiempo se desgastan, aprovechar los medios digitales sirve pero no llega a todos, la interacción directa con personas líderes es fundamental para conocer de primera mano las necesidades y expectativas de la población y recoger sus ideas con herramientas de gestión. Se requiere priorizar mediante una matriz o un pareto, lo que más impacte de acuerdo a un análisis costo efectividad. Así mismo, es siempre indispensable generar relaciones de confianza.